Untouchable
by Sha22
Summary: Jade hate Tori, or as she like to say it, strongly dislike her. Tori finally get close to Jade, detective Vega choose the wrong time to arrest Mr. West, and that made Jade hate Tori even more, because she knows that her dad is innocent. little crossover with MichixHaru. JORI.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey folks, I'm back with brand new story, just little something I like to give you for belated happy new year gift. **

**Now, I know, I've been delaying the update on Two Pieces and the other stories, but don't worry, I'm cooking it up and will be ready soon. :)**

**I apologize in advance if there any mistakes on the grammar and the typing, English is not my first language. **

**So, here goes, hope you enjoy reading it.**

**I DO NOT OWN VICTORiOUS.**

**(- - Sha - -)**

**Chapter 1 : Pilot**

The music blazing through the Asphalt Café, lunch time goes as usual, the gang; Tori, Andre, Cat, Robbie, Beck and Jade, chatting about everything that came to their mind, the latest gossip, fashion until the new play that once again direct by the one and only, their favorite drama teacher, Sikowitz.

_I love you…_

The thought comes again in the singer's mind; it's been in there for quite a while now, always threatening to come out whenever she is close to her crush. She would lost herself in those mesmerizing blue eyes, the ever very cute pout –although everyone else is seeing it as a scowl – that the person throw once in a while when the person is upset about something or not getting her way.

The half Latina can't help it, to like the blue eyes beauty more, even with all the mean things the person did to her, because in one rare moment, the person would do nice things to her, that would make her heart shutter and fall for the person even more. She falls for Jade West, yes, _the_ Jade West.

She helplessly tried to ignored the feeling build up inside of her about the said girl, doesn't want to fall into deep trouble by having such a feeling, but she can't, how hard she tried to ignore it, it kept pushing to come out to the surface, and Tori couldn't do anything about it except to accepted it, but she couldn't let that out, to be known, not a single soul can know about it.

Tori Vega has been trying to befriend the actress, but everything she did or about to do seem hopeless because the pale beauty would just brushed her off and ignore her or hate her guts more than she ever did before.

The soon to be actress-director-playwright hate her, or as she like to say it, _strongly dislike_ the brunette the minute the girl rubbed coffee off of her ex-boyfriend who was her current boyfriend at the time.

She tried to make Jade at least to like her as a person if not a friend but that plan was a foiled one, because the pale beauty is still hates her.

But this year, this particular year, Tori Vega needs Jade to somehow to be civil with her, this final year of high school, she wanted to be different, she wants to make the best of it, even though she knows that her heart, her love would never be reciprocate by the raven haired beauty. _Dramatic much?_ Yeah she knows that too, but she has a feeling that this year, is going to be interesting ride for her.

"Please… please, please … PLEASE…" The childish voice of Cat –the red velvet haired girl- Valentine can be heard, begging for the puppet muster to agree on taking her to the baby golf game with her while the boy keep saying 'No' to her.

From across the table the singer who is still in her daze while looking 'subtly' at her crush brought back to reality by the riot the two of her friends made.

"Okay, fine, Cat, I'll take you to the baby golf game." The Jewish boy said in defeat earning an 'ha' by his puppet Rex, it's still amuse Tori somehow, because the boy manage to be so shy yet so blunt at the same time by saying what he's really thinking through Rex, sometimes she thinks the puppet is the honest version of the boy.

"Yay, thank you, Robbie." The petite red head squeal in happiness, jumping up and down in her seat before resuming eating her sandwich.

Tori smiled at the cute red velvet haired girl, the said girl is smart but yet still so innocent, she would easily lights up at the word 'Candy' or 'Bibble' or any other sweet treats, but she can be the wisest person on occasion.

She, like Tori, also a transfer student, except she got there just one semester before Tori, but the girl could blended in fast despite how everyone would say she's a ditz, she's a genius at everything that scream art.

The singer chuckles at Cat's antics, she's so bubbly and cheery, but that aura is like 180 degree mirroring on what the person next to her looks like. The raven haired girl sit there and have her permanent scowl on like usual, stabbing carelessly at the poor salad she called lunch.

_She's in a bad mood._

The perk of being a subtle observant is that, she knows how Jade mood work, or how her body language is trying to tell how she really feel, like, Tori knows about the different between scowls Jade had, her 'I'm pissed, don't talk to me' scowl, or her 'I'm bored, go away' scowl and even down to her smirk, the 'I'm happy about something' smirk and her so called 'evil' smirk, that usually painted on her face whenever she plan on doing bad, _bad _thing to someone.

That little things she noticed about the pale beauty that even Beck failed to noticed, and right now, the actress is pissed about something because she's not even bother tried to insult the singer today, not even throw a glare at her, the said girl just looking at her salad as if it would burn if she keep staring at it.

"Jade, you're going to murder that poor salad of yours, if you keep stabbing it without mercy." Tori finally said, everyone on the table seems not to pay attention to her or her comment, they used to it by now because there will be the inevitable bickering after one of them started to say something.

"Stay out of it, _Tori._" The pale beauty said without even a glance at the brunette "My day is bad enough; I don't need you to add your sweet sally peaches speech into It." She said bitterness in her voice.

"Well!" Tori said in mocked hurt on her voice, which is a bad idea, because it set Jade off even more.

"You know what, I'm done here anyway, and I can't take to hear any of your 'perky' little self, talking about rainbow and sunshine." Jade said get up bringing her salad with her and tossed it into the garbage can, leaving the flabbergasted Latina and the table full with confused teenagers.

"Does anyone know what set her off today?" Tori asked innocently while everyone just shrugs their shoulders not really have an answer.

The rest of the table going back to their recent activity, which is eating and gossiping while Tori left to her thinking about what made Jade so pissed, she know it's really not her place to dive her nose into it, but Jade is her friend, well, kind of friend, but still friend, so its normal to concern about friend, right, _right._

She's in her little world, she doesn't even notice that now the rest of the table talking about the new music teacher, or how Andre's voice is so dreamy while talking about her.

"I know, that's what I'm thinking the first time she walked into the class, man, she's so, mesmerizing, and beautiful, and gorgeous." He said.

"Yeah, but she has funny hair color, though." Cat chimed in. "I asked her about dying her hair in aqua color, but she said it's her natural hair color, that's not possible, right, I mean, if her hair is natural color, than mine can be, but it's not." She said confused at the end, looking at her own dyed 'red velvet' color hair, she made her funny expression when she got confused and it's really cute.

"Well, it's odd, but somehow suits her." Andre chimed in again. "She's so elegant and her eyes is so captivating, don't get me started at how she smiles, man, she's even more beautiful when she's smile. But wait until you hear her play that violin of hers, it's … it's …. Man, I think … I think I might just fall in love with her." The boy said with dreamy eyes, earning an 'aaww' from Cat while Robbie looks at him silly and Beck nods at him understandingly.

The singer though, she doesn't give a single feedback, since she still thinks about Jade's little foul mood earlier, Andre noticed the lacked of participation and nudged his best friend side to get her attention.

"What." Tori said with her '_I wasn't listening to you_' tone, she doesn't even try to cover it, makes Andre rolls his eyes.

"I was talking about the new music teacher. Where'd you go just now?" He asked concern because he noticed that Tori have been spacing out a lot, lately.

"Oh, yea, Miss Kaiou Michiru, she's very talented and so … Japanese." She said quickly, wanting to get Andre out of her hair and not questioning about what she was thinking about because the boy can sense she was thinking about something from miles away.

Andre nods in agreement, he's too captivating about the topic to pay attention, and that answer alone is enough for him, _for now_, to not questioning Tori any further and leaves the singer alone back to resume 'eating' her lunch.

(- - Sha - -)

_Buzz … buzz…_

Tori felt her phone buzz in her pocket and she slowly gets it while she kept an eye to the teacher in case he looked her way, she doesn't want to get detention, not today, not ever, but especially today. Why, because, she and her father are going to the circuit. _Yes._ The circuit, as in race, motorsport, she loves everything about it, it was her secret guilty pleasure no one knows about, just her family and Andre.

It's begun when her father take her to one of the local race when she was in elementary school, well, she and her sister, at that time her mother has to go to an emergency work stuff and her father supposed to watch the race by himself but instead he has to babysit, doesn't want to waste her ticket, he just brought his little pups along. Trina fell asleep just after one lap, she didn't know how she manage to fell asleep with such a crowded place but she was enchanted by it, the way the engine sound, the way the riders moved to balance the bikes with every turn they take, she just can imagine the wind flow pass their face as they ride, even though she knows that they have the helmet on.

So, that is why Tori wants to ride one as well, she's been begging her father to build one with her, from scratch, her own costume motor bike, her father kind of happy that his child have the same taste like him, but again, he doesn't want her baby girl to ended up in a dirt somewhere after she fall of her bike, so he promise her, he will build the bike but she need to earn all the part by herself, and so, she's been saving up money from babysitting, her allowance, she even took a summer job, and been buying parts every now and then.

But she knew that her dad is just bluffing, so she take precaution, and been build her dream bike in Andre's friend's garage, just to be safe so her father doesn't have the control to messed up with her bike. _Clever moved._

_"Dad said he can't make it 'till just in time for the race to begin, you need to get there on your own. Love –T"_

_"Well, I'll be damn."_ She thought, she need to find a ride then because there's no buss heading where she need to be after school hour, and she's too poor to take a cab after spend all her money on buying parts for her bike.

_"Can you give me a ride then, T?" _Tori asked her sister, she knew right away that it's a futile effort but she need at least try, right.

_"Can't do, baby sis, I already got a plan. Take care. –T"_

She guessed right, and now she really is fucked. She kept on thinking of ways how she can get to the circuit on time, because, damn it, one of her idol is on the race, granted it's not international race but national, but still, he is the best racer America ever had, and he even not from America originally.

She bumps her head on the table again and again while still thinking. Andre is out of the question, he have to be home to take care of her grandmother, Beck, well, no, even though that's bigger chance for her for Beck to say yes, but her pride is so high that she doesn't want anybody to know her secret of liking Motorsport just yet. But, again, she kinda needs it, well, she always can say that her dad needs the ticket and she happens to have it and need to take it there. _Yes, that's brilliant._

The bell rang and it's the end of the lesson for the day and unfortunately Beck is not on her class, so she needs to make a run for it if she wanted to catch the Canadian boy. She was about to dashed out of the door but her feet nailed to the floor when she saw Jade, she still has her scowl on and she's still pissed. _Right, Jade._

She's so busy thinking about the race that she forget about the pale beauty who seems in distress, she felt conflicted, made a move and talk to her or run for the door to catch up with Beck and ask for a ride.

She grips the strip of her bag as the heels of her feet move back and forth, until she finally takes one final deep breath before she began to walk toward the girl.

_Well, this better be worth it._

** (- - Sha - -)**

**Let me know what you think, yea? **

**Thanks.**

**See ya.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, I'm back with new chapter. I know it's been a while or a long while. Some of you might think that I abandon my stories, and the answer is no, I am not. Life happen and it got busy and I seemed to be stuck on a writer's block for quite a while. :)**

**so aside from this story, I planned on updating TWO PIECES and I already got five paged done but I saved my document on my new laptop, which is still at the shop to be repair at the moment, the charger socket is not working, and I have no back up of it. I need to wait couple more weeks I guess until then I'm going to update my other stories. Slow but steady alright. :)**

**Sorry for the wait, I'll try my best to write and update more soon. **

**Read, Write, and Repeat. **

**Sorry for the grammar mistakes and any typos. **

**So enjoy the story. **

**\- Sha -**

Couple of second pass before Tori brace herself and with hesitate steps she's making to follows the blue eyed girl, thinking that it would be better to talk to the girl in somewhere with more space. Just in case, since Jade is usually or most of the time, a ticking time bomb. Though she didn't afraid she was just taking precaution, she still wants to graduate and still have all of her limbs attach to her body. But before she could even manages to get five feet to follow the raven haired beauty, her phone buzzing inside her pocket. She looked into the disappearing figure and sighed, she pick up the phone but still manage to get her feet moving to try and locate the said girl.

"Dad." The singer said to the phone.

"_Hey kiddo, I know I promise that I'll see you there. But there's been new case that's been assign for me, the CIA is involved and it's a pretty big case." _Detective Vega explained almost in one breath.

Tori didn't seem to surprise though because she was used to her dad rescheduling their plan and she understand that. Her dad was helping and keeping people save and she respected that. She just wish that her dad would have more time for her and still helping people at the same time, but it's impossible so she was just need to make every little time she has with her dad and cherish them.

"It's okay papi, we'll make time next time… Big case huh, can I know what about?" She asked knowing the said detective would never share it with her.

"_You know I can't tell you princess. It's confidential."_ The singer could make out the gentle smiles that form in her father's face while saying it. _"But I'll buy you your favorite ice cream and we'll eat it together when I'm home."_

"Orrr, maybe you can just give me the money to buy a new part for my bike?"

David chuckles, her daughter try that many time already but the answer always the same. _"Nice try kiddo, but you're on your own on that."_

"Darn. Well, at least I'm tryin'."

"_Okay kiddo, I have to go now."_

"Okay dad, be save and stay alert. _Te quiero papito._"

"_I will, and I love you too princess."_

The singer hangs up and stops on her track. She tried to make up which way Jade was going, there's two ways Jade could went to, the one into the gym and the one to the asphalt café. She knows then where Jade could be heading as she tighten her hold on the strap of her bag on her shoulder and walk toward the said direction.

**\- Sha -**

The sun is not too bright at this time of day, just beginning to set and shine bright orange in the sky and the wind is quite chilling. Tori look up at the little stage put above the asphalt café and smile before she climb the stairs and up to the stage she usually performed with Andre every now and then. She stopped by the body lying on the floor of it and looks down; just staring at the person without any comment as the person lying there was closing her eyes, well Tori guess she does close her eyes since it was covered by shades.

"You're blocking my sun." The thespian girl deadpan without moving.

The singer scoffed. "You hate being in the Sun." The sun kissed girl moved to sit beside the raven haired beauty.

"Ugh. Why must you put sour taste into my already bad mood?" It's not a question, more of a statement. "What do you want?"

"Nothing." The girl shrugged.

"Well, if it nothing I'm sure you can find your way home."

It's almost dark and very few students are still around, if it not just hanging out, they're finishing some project for their class and it's actually pretty quiet up here. Just the sound of the wind and cars which is calming for the half-Latina though she doesn't know why exactly Jade choose this place to whatever she's doing here.

"Jade."

"Vega."

"Why are you in such a sour mood?" She asked as look ahead at the Hollywood sign at the hills.

"None of your business." The young playwright said in dismissed tone.

"Of course it is!" She said it without realizing how it sounded until it came out, she sounded like a possessive girlfriend and she widen her eyes at that. She choose the 'pinning from a far and help the blue eyed girl when needed' path for a reason, and she doesn't want that choice to change at any time soon. But the look Jade gave her made her sober up and she know she need to fix her momentary slipped up.

"I-I mean, you're my friend."

"I'm not your friend." She deadpanned.

"Well, to me, you're my friend."

"Good for you."

Well, at least the raven haired girl hasn't kicked her yet. It always is a good sign if Jade just gave a snarky remark … in away. Tori just need to be more delicate in approaching the subject because the blue eyed girl just too proud to ask for help, especially from her.

"What's bothering you Jade, tell me?"

"Why are you so nosey?" The girl in question just shrugged her shoulders with smiles on her face that made the pale beauty to roll her eyes. "Fine. The school declined my play again. They said it was too graphic and gruesome." She said with plain tone.

"What's the play about?"

"It's about a clown and a parachute …. That doesn't open." She said with ease and with a glint of her eyes and the smirk Tori know was meant to creep people out, and it might just work because she felt little creped out by it.

"What's it called?" The raven haired girl reached out into her bag and pulled out a little poster and gave it to the singer. "Clowns don't bounce." She read it out loud.

"They don't."

"You have very weird and active imagination."

"It's called creativity and art. We are going to school for creative young mind." Jade takes off her shades and looked at the girl. "Now that you know, why don't you just go to your merry little way and leave me alone."

Brown eyes looked into the poster once again before making up her mind. "What if I say … I could help you sets up performance for it at least for one performance. Do I still need to leave?"

The play-write to be look at the singer with unreadable expression but the singer know that the raven haired girl curious about what she said, enough to say her next line. "See I knew you'd keep me around … I mean, want to hear what I have to say now…." She grinned.

The pale beauty raised her eye brow amused. "Don't get cocky on me now, Vega. I was just curious and as much as I want this, I'm not that desperate to willingly accept your gloating face!" She brushed her tongue to her lower lips. "Besides, what's in it to you?"

"What?" The girl asked little bit confused.

"Oh come on, everybody has their agenda." She said raising her eye brows in question.

Tori perplex at the girl's statement. "And you think I have one?" She pointed at herself. "No. Jade, I have no agenda whatsoever; I just wanted to help you. That's all, nothing else I promise."

Blue eyes looked into brown eyes, studying it carefully. She wanted to make sure that the girl is serious with what she just said. "Just like that?" The raven haired beauty asked. "You just want to help me, nothing else, and you don't want anything in return?" The snow kissed girl question more and got one sharp and determined nod from the half-Latina. "I don't believe you." She said before she moved to turn to the opposite direction.

The brunette rolled her eyes. Off course Jade would not be easy to convince to do anything even though that something would benefit her the most. "I want to help you put a performance for your play and you thought I have different agenda about it?"

"Normal people would want something in return."

"But I'm not normal people, Jade. I'm me, the goody two shoes who likes to help people."

"So I'm just people to you?"

"What?! No! You're Jade west."

"Exactly, I'm Jade West, and I don't take unless I give back."

"You are a very weird and confusing, you know that?"

"No. I just hate to owe people something that can hold me back." The blue eyed girl said with finality. "If you want to help me, than you must have something you want in return."

"What if I tell you that I just want to help you because we're friends?"

"I'm not your friend."

"Really? Even after everything that we went through."

"Especially, after everything's that we went through."

"Oi you gave me a headache." The singer said.

The raven haired beauty just smirk at the girl's frustrated tone. "Come on, you must have a price Vega."

The brunette sighed. She thinks about what Jade said and she was kind of right because now, all she could think was how nice it is to go on a date with the girl. _Get a grip Tori._ No matter how much she wanted to say that was her price, but she still has pride and respect for the girl. "Fine. How about you teach me how to play piano in return?"

"That's it?"

"That's it, that's my price Jade. Take it or leave it." She challenged.

The girl considered it for a moment before she nodded in agreement. "Okay deal and you'll help me set up a performance for my play."

"That's the plan."

They finally reached an agreement and shook on it. Now all Tori need to do just come up with a plan on how she's going to do just that. Surely she needed some generous donator to put it all together. It's not that hard.

_Right._

"So how much do you think it'll cost?"

**\- Sha -**


	3. Chapter 3

**New update!**

**So, it's my birthday today and I just wanted to post an update before it's 00.00 and my birthday is over. :)**

**I don't know much about engine or motorbike, or at all. But I try my best to make it believable. (If there's any volunteer to help me with these things, I'm not oppose to it :) )**

**I hope you like the chapter. Oh and my laptop still hasn't comeback to me yet so postpone on Two Pieces. :(**

**Sorry if there's any mistakes. **

**So. Enjoy.**

**\- Sha –**

There are two sets of faint grunts coming from the Vega garage company with occasional 'Hya'. The two Vega girls were doing some exercise together, they sparring up like they usually do since their dad made them take the defense class, karate and little taekwondo. David Vega insisted on his girls to know some defense moves to defend them in case something happen and there's nobody to help.

Trina was throwing some kicks and punch while Tori keep dodging them; she seemed to be doing it on auto pilot and the older brunette notice it. She threw one shallow punch and quickly retracted it before Tori manage to catch it and swept her feet instead, sending the singer to the ground with a loud thumped.

"Ow!" She said looking up to her older sister.

"What? It's not my fault that I beat your ass. You've been distracted all morning." The older brunette said whilst she grab one bottle of water for herself and one more for her little sister.

"At least try and be little gentler about it. My ass hurt." She pouted.

"You'll live." Trina said easily and handed the bottle of water to the girl. "Besides, you need your ass to hurt since your mind seems to be elsewhere and remember your opponent would never give you little break or slowing down just because you had a bad day. You need to focus so your ass does not get beaten." She said in a reminding tone as she gulped down the water.

The pop singer just pouted and plays with the cup of the bottle. Her pride little bit hurt by Trina, usually she's the one having to threw the older brunette down her ass but since she was 'occupied' about finding a way to come up with the money for the play made her lost focus and Trina easily beat her.

"What's wrong with you today?" Trina asked. "You seemed distracted, I usually the one who get distracted. If I think about it, you've been that way for these pass days."

"I just … There's just a lot on my mind right now."

"Is it about dad missing the race and you had to watch it by yourself?"

"No, it's not it. And I didn't go to the race either."

Trina frowned at the statement. "You didn't go to the race? You … really?" The girl asked amused. There's nothing that can make the Half-Latina miss any race except there was a life threating matter. _'This should be good'._ The girl thought. "What's so important that made you missed the race?"

"I-I …" The girl hesitate whether she should tell her big sister or not, since she can be a drama queen and also a big gossip at the same time and she doesn't want her to tell the whole school and having Jade kill her or worse torture her before she finally kill her. She shudder at the thought and looked at her big sister. Trina has her moment though; she can be mature and helpful at times. But still, she doesn't sure if she can tell Trina.

"Just spill it Tori. I know you want to tell me, because I know that look. You have something that you desperately need to talk to someone about. I know I don't always helpful with your problem but at least I'm here for you if you need someone to talk to."

There it is. The big sister side of her that's rarely comes out. Tori needed that line for her final nudge to talk. "I … Jade was upset and I went to asked her what's wrong and I ended up promising to help her put a performance to for her new play that got decline by the school." Tori manage to say it in one breath.

"Wow … why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why would you want to help Jade? I mean, you're not helping me with my one woman show back then, why would you help Jade now?"

She looked at her sister with disbelieve. "Trina!"

"Okay, sorry." She said innocently and proceeds to back to the problem at hand. "Why the school won't let her put on her play?"

"Because they said the play was too graphic and gruesome, and also it might scared some people for life." She finished in a low voice. She's been thinking some alternate way to raise the money, but she also been debating about getting the money from her pocket but she hasn't made up her mind about it yet.

"Okay … Moving on. So have you come up with the plan on how to put the performance together yet? Because surely it needs money, and last time I check. You're broke."

She looked at her sister. "I've been thinking about using my engine money…"

"Tori, no! You've been saving up that money for as long as I can remember to buy your new engine for your bike."

"I know, but just some of it and I'll be able to get it back in no time. I'll help out in Jorge's garage and I'll get some more money from testing new bikes out in the track too. It'll be no problem." She convinced her sister.

Jorge is Andre's mechanic friend who help the Half-Latina build her motorbike, he also been teaching Tori about machine and how to fixing bikes and cars. Jorge's garage was the best shop in town that he would sometimes swamp and need little help in fixing stuff, so Tori has been worked there in the weekend and sometimes after school.

Her parents have no problem with her working, they know that she needed the money and it's also to build up her independent and responsible self. When you want something, you work for it.

"I still don't get why you're willing to go through all of that just so you can help Jade …. And not me." Trina said shaking her head while Tori just rolled her eyes. Leave it for the older brunette to be supportive in one minute and back to make everything about her in the next. "Well. I guess you have everything figure out. I just hope Jade knows how much you sacrifice just to make her happy." She looked at her sister knowingly. "I hope she's worth it, Tori."

"I-I …"

**\- Sha –**

"Toreee!"

"What … what!" She looked at her crazy but awesome drama teacher and then she realize that everyone in the room also looking at her. She quickly threw a glance and swept the room and landed at the other side of the room. A pair of sky blue eyes looked at the scene with amuse smirk on her face that's not escape from the tan kissed skin girl, the pale beauty notice the glance too and raise her eyebrow at her.

"Why are you sleeping in my class? Am I boring you?"

The girl sober up when she heard Sikowitz asking her, she quickly responded. "No! No!" She quickly said. "I'm sorry Sikowitz, I barely sleep last night. I guess I'm little bit tired…" She said smiling; hopping the teacher would kindly forgive her.

"Oooo, seemed somebody have a long night last night!"

"Yes somebody is…" Tori said.

"Well, now you're not. Get on the stage. Cat and Andre too, you'll do a scene where you …" He pointed at Tori. "Will be a grandma and you two …" He pointed at Andre and Cat. "Couple of passersby tries to help the grandma to cross the road. Action!"

She looked at Jade's direction once again and saw the girl smile at her, well more like at how ridiculous she looked right now but it's still the cutest smile she ever seen on Jade West.

_She's so worth it._

**\- Sha –**

Saturday and Tori is working at Jorge's garage, wearing her mechanic jumpsuit outfit with the half top undone and leaving her in just her white tank top which is dirty by grease and oil. She's working on a bike when Jorge called her. She quickly finishing up before went to the little office.

"You called me?" She asked the Latina guy.

"Yes, I just want to tell you that your engine is in stock and ready to be send."

The singer hasn't told the guy about her money situation yet, she hasn't had the chance but now it seemed the best time. "About that. Jorge, I couldn't afford the engine yet, I have some emergency that I need to use the money. I won't be able to pay you back for at least couple of months…?"

The guy just smile at the singer. "Tori. Don't worry, I got it covered. You can pay me back when you got the money."

"Really?" The girl looked hopeful. She would finally able to build her bike, the engine was the last piece of the bike, and she's been waiting for it.

"Yes really."

"But still, I can't do that to you Jorge."

"I already said its okay Tori, you're like familia now, and family helps each other, no?" The Latina said with finality but the singer's face still seemed uncertain. "Okay, there's couple of bikes from one of my friends garage that ready to be tested on the track. What if I said that I set you up so that you can be the one to test it out to get extra money out of it?"

Her eyes lit up. "Like for the race kind of bike?!" The man nodded. "Oh my god. You'd do that? But I'm like amateur, surely they want professional rider to test their bikes out. And I'm a no body."

Tori has been tested one or two bike sure but it was Jorge's bikes and it's for customer not for the race. She wasn't sure if she could do it, riding was something she loves and what she's been dreaming of doing.

"You are more than capable for a test ride, and they wanted it to be unfamiliar face. They said that this bike is their new invention and needed to be a close test. So I recommended you. You're good, fast and perfect for the job. I already sent them your personal detail and they liked you right away."

"I-I don't know what to say." The girl was speechless, this is it. This is the opportunity to test how it feels to race bikes on the track.

"How about yes?"

"Yes!"

"Yes?"

"Yes. Jorge, I'll do it. Thank you Jorge!" The girls get up to hug the man with glee.

**\- Sha –**

"You looked chirpy. Why you look chirpy?" The sky blue eyed girl asked the singer when the said girl sit across from the lunch table, their other friends not yet there so the pale beauty can asked the girl and not get question eyes from her friends, since the two still hasn't really been friend, just civilize to each other.

"Why Jade, I don't know that you care about my mood." The girl teased, she knew best not to provoke the sleeping beast but she just wanted to say that since she's in really good mood.

"I don't. It's just irritating me to see you so happy." She looked at the brunette with annoyed looked.

"You know, maybe you said that you don't care, but I convinced otherwise." The pale girl glared at her. "Stare all you one Jade, but you need to know that this girl." She pointed at herself. "Got the money to help you puts a performance for your play." She smiles smugly.

There's a surprise look on Jade's face but it disappear as soon as it appear replace by an amused look. "Really? And you make sure that no crazy lady this time to ruin my play?"

"Oh, you hurt me." She said pretend to be hurt with putting her hands above her heart in a mocking gesture. "No Jade, you can relax about that."

"Good." The girl said while playing with her salad.

Brown orbs looked at the pale beauty for a moment. "Is there something you wanna say to me, Jade?"

Sky blue eyes looked up to brown ones and the singer has to take one sharp breathe at how mesmerizing Jade's eyes are. Like she's look through her soul. But that moment quickly snapped when the girl said. "Don't screw things up." And Tori just rolled her eyes.

"You're welcome." The girl simply said.

Their friends finally join them for lunch and they fell to their usual pattern. Chatting with each other and eating. Maybe this time Jade will be her friend and actually admitting it. She said it before and she'd say it again.

_She's so worth it._

**\- Sha –**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm so sorry, I have been busy these past weeks. Work was hectic, I have two projects that have to be done, and I can barely write on any paper for the chapter idea. **

**But alas, I'm here now and I hope you like this chapter, I was kind of stealing time to write on my notebook, yes I went old fashion with pen and paper, lol. **

**SoI still don't have my laptop, but I planned on re-write the Two Pieces chapter hope it will done soon with me balancing work and writing. But hey, I got me my new beta for Two Pieces, that's a good news right.**

**Okay enjoy the story, sorry for any mistakes, english is not my first language and whatever. :)**

**Write. Read. Review. And repeat.**

**\- - Sha - -**

"May I present you … The stage." Tori said in a dramatic presenting voice as she open the double door to the theater. Tori was manage to find a nice size theater for Jade's play and booked it. It's not small yet not big either but it was a decent size of theater, she wanted to booked the slightly bigger theater than this but it was already fully booked until the end of the year so all Tori manage to get was this one, though she kind of wrestling it with the other guy but nothing can be settled with some extra money for the rent.

Even though it cost little more it still worth every penny with the looked of Jade's face she was looking right now. The pale beauty has her bright smile painted on her face and her eyes were lit up with happiness. The singer also has smile painted on her face knowing that she was the one to put that smile on the Goth's face.

"Wow, this is not so bad." The pale beauty said with slight amused tone. "I can already see how the stage going to be." She said as she walked around to get the feel of the stage. "I can get Sinjin to help with the prop and decoration, and Robbie will help with the lighting and stuff."

The singer took a sit on one of the chair and just watched the play-wright girl listing everything she need of the play. She was in her directing mode, she walk around the stage and picturing how everything would place. The singer has one big smile on her face seeing how happy the sky blue eyed girl is, it's cute and sexy. _Yes she put cute and sexy at the same sentence._

"So Cat said her brother can get me the fake blood, I already got my actor, the stage and the crew. It's going to be perfect." She said finishing all the list and face the sitting brunette.

"Sounds like a good plan." The singer said and looked at the pale beauty as the said girl turn to face her, giving her one big smile. "You already had it all planned."

"Yeah, well you know, you found this place. Which is not so bad." The girl said with no sarcasm behind her word, she got quite for a moment like she was thinking about something before she finally speaks up again. "Thank you … Tori."

If Tori's smile wasn't big enough before, it's surely look even bigger now. The raven haired beauty always reluctant to acknowledge the half Latina's effort, but now that the girl was standing there and _thanking_ her and also calling her by her first name. Tori feels like she's going to burse with happiness.

_Yeah, it is totally worth it!_

"You're welcome Jade." The brunette said coolly.

They stay a little longer while Jade get ore grip about the stage and how it's going to play out. She started to write down every detail. The duo managed to be civil and even have little conversation that not including the play here and there. Sometimes Tori would pitch in ideas and Jade would listen and consider it. Not once that the pale beauty made fun of the singer. It's safe to say that at the end of the day, they have a good bonding time.

The singer would be lying if she said that she wasn't enjoying her time with the sky blue eyed beauty, because she did and she liked to think that the girl felt the same as hers about their day.

Though it was almost gone to the drain when Jade asking about the donator and wanted to know who it is, the singer's smile flattered a little when the question being asked. She didn't think of that one and clearly she can't tell Jade that the money came out from her own pocket because then she would force to tell the girl how she manage to get that much amount of money and then she would have to tell everything, so she quickly said.

"It's anonymous." The pale beauty looked at her with raised eye brow. "They … wanted it to be anonymous…?" Jade crossed her hands on her chest, waiting for more explanation from the singer. "They uhm, they likes art, and after I gave them your script. They read them and loved it; they think that you're great and wanted to help put up a performance to your play."

"Who are they?" The girls asked.

"Anonymous, remember?"

"But you knew who they are?" The singer hummed in confirmation. "Tori, the last time you help me with the 'well wishes' the lady wanted her awful talentless daughter to sing in my play." The play-wright recalled.

"And I assure you that this time; there will be no talentless daughter to ruin your play. This donator is legit; they just don't like to be recognized. That's all."

The sky blue eyed beauty looks at her, or more accurately giving her an intense stare. "I promise you Jade." The stare won't waver and Tori know that Jade was not convinced enough. "I'll make sure that your play runs smoothly." Still don't budge and the singer sighed. "Okay, what if … I'll help you; I'll help you with your play and prove you wrong by making sure that your play will go without a hit. How's that sound?"

"Sure. But I'm sure something will bound to go wrong. Considering that _you_ are helping me." Tori didn't know what to say to that, her mouth open and close again like a fish out of water. "But if you going to mess something up, make sure that nothing major will go wrong."

"Ookay…"

"Good."

**\- - Sha - -**

Tori slumped into her bed with a thumped; she just finished showering after her long shift at Jorge's garage. It's Saturday night and she's ready to call it the night because she's so tired, she's been working extra hours to earn the money for her bike. She have to, because even if Jorge said that it's okay and she can pay him back when she got the money, she still didn't like to owe people. Jorge was nice enough to give her the job and build her bike in his garage.

The brunette was about to fall asleep when there's a knock on the door and her father's head appears. "Hey kiddo." He said and steps into the room fully.

"Hey dad." She said sitting up and the detective take a sit beside her.

"How are you doing kid, we haven't got the chance to catch up these past weeks."

"Yeah you're busy with the case and I'm busy with work."

David laughed. "You're a teenager. You're supposed to be busy doing homework and school stuff."

"You're the one who said that, if I wanted to build my own bike, I have to earn it myself." She said smiling when her father raised her eye brow.

"Well, yeah. But not over work it, you need to enjoy your teenage life as well."

"I am enjoying my teenage life daddy." The girl said. "So where's mom, shouldn't you two go on a date or something? It's Saturday night and you hadn't have an off time on Saturday night."

"She's off with Trina to do some last minute shopping, said there's an emergency retail something sale…?"

The singer laughed. "You mean fashion emergency."

"Yeah, that. And I thought I'm just going to hang with my little princess and catch up."

"Dad, no one says hang anymore."

"They don't?" The detective asked and the girl shakes her head no. "Well, I said hang so."

Tori giggled at her father's antics. "Okay papito."

The father and daughter talk about their weeks and Tori got to tell her dad about Jade's play and she's helping her with the preparation, but she left the part where she gave the money to fund it. She doesn't want her dad to know that.

"So this Jade, when are you going to officially introduce her to us?" David nudged the brunette with a knowing look. Yes, her parents know that she likes girl. She came out to them a while ago and they're okay with it, so did Trina. Since then her dad always asked to be introduce to any girl she talked about, yes any girl.

"What do you mean officially introduce her to you?" The singer looked at her father. "You met her before with my other friends."

"Yea, but you're dating so …"

"We're not dating, god dad. We barely even called ourselves friends." David gave her a pointed look. "We're kind of friends. It's complicated."

"Sure honey."

"So anything interesting about your new case?" The girl asked changing the subject away from the sky blue eyed girl.

"Well nothing new because it's still confidential." The detective said smirking.

"Come on papito, you can tell me about it and I swear on secrecy not to tell." Tori always says that and David would give up little detail but it was because the case was not big and just local assault of kind. They talked about the case a little but David would never go into detail because beside its confidential, he also didn't want his girl to worry so much about him while he's at work.

"Can't do kiddo."

"Is it about smuggling?" David looked at her with amuse expression, this is going to be interesting, the guessing game could last forever and Tori would gave up if he keep strong and not affected. "Oh I know. You're going to bust an arms dealer?" He still won't budge and Tori turn her position to face her dad. "Human trafficking?" Still nothing. "I can keep going papito."

The singer keep on guessing and David kept his silent, they're going at it back and forth for a while until the guessing become very ridiculous and the detective can take it anymore.

"Okay enough. It's about engines." David finally said and the singer finally stopped talking.

"There's really a case about that?"

"It came to our attention because some engines that used to build a costume bike for races has been tampered with. It causes several accidents on the race."

"Why?"

"We believe to eliminate the competitor. One team paid said engine company into giving the other team the tampered engine and gave them the best engine so they could win."

"That's awful dad. Did you found out who it is yet, which company and which team?"

"We have our suspicions but we didn't have enough evidence to do a search, only one weak lead and that's still doesn't enough for us to do something."

"Well, I'm sure if the lead is solid, you're going to get your evidence and arrest the bastard."

"We all hope so kiddo." He said ruffled the singer's hair.

They talk some more before they called it the night since Tori won't stop yawning at her dad. They said their good nights and as soon as David close the door behind him, the singer fell asleep immediately not even bother to get herself settled.

**\- - Sha - -**

This past week's Tori has been juggling between helping Jade with the play and working at Jorge's garage, her bike was coming up and almost ready. The pale beauty's pay also coming up in just a few days, she was so proud because she hasn't been 'messed' anything up and the play is going to be great. The sky blue eyed beauty was so great at it; she has no doubt that the play would be a hit for a one time performance thing.

She was putting up a flayer around the school when she spotted Jade and Beck having a discussion. She normally didn't like to snooping but she was curious and beside it was not eavesdrops if she standing close enough and 'accidentally' hears them. So she move a little more closer to where they are but still far enough for them not to notice her and pretend to put the flyer up to the wall.

"Oh my god how many time did I tell you. If you wanted to date somebody just date them. I have no problem with it, we broke up months ago remember?" The raven haired beauty said to the fluffy haired one.

"I know. I just wanted to make sure that you're really okay with it. I don't want you to find out from other people."

"I'm sure. Go date whoever."

"So I can go out with Meredith then?"

"Meredith!" Jade's eyes widen at that and the singer cringed a little hearing the horror in her voice. "I knew that you like her since that awful play you did together."

"No, Jade. I don't like her back then, she just asked me out and I can't really say no to her."

"Fine, go out with her I don't care!" She said stomping her foot and walked away from Beck.

"Jade come on." The Canadian boy grabs her hand stopping her.

"I said fine already now let go." She said and Beck let her go.

Tori quickly pretending to put some glue to the wall and put the flyer on in as Jade walked pass her, she was hopping the girl won't notice her. When the girl walked pass her and said nothing the singer realize a relief breathe but it was short live when she heard the pale beauty said pass her shoulder.

"I know you were listening Vega." She said but not stopping and keep going, the singer swallow a lump on her throat.

"Dang, she's good." She just hope that the sky blue eyed girl won't kill her for 'listening' on her and Beck's conversation.

**\- - Sha - -**


	5. Chapter 5

**I've had this in my folder for a month and just had the time to finish this chapter. **

**Alas. Forgive me for any grammar mistakes and typos. **

**Reviews are welcome. **

**Enjoy.**

**\- - Sha - -**

The sound of a pencil constantly hit the wooden desk can be heard through the almost silent class, Tori doesn't really listening of what Mr. Stanley has to say about algorithm or anything relative to any math equation. Her mind still caught up in what happen yesterday when she heard Jade and Beck talked, she has been caught and the play-wright girl hasn't been talking to her. She wasn't sure if the girl was angry at her, avoiding her, or she just hasn't get the chance to see the girl since they have different classes, but it's still worried her nonetheless whether the girl upset or not.

The clicking sound of the pencil hitting the desk was the only thing keeping her calm, she continuing on doing that while her mind think of something to talk to the pale beauty later on when she got the chance. But before she could make up any excuse her hand that's been playing with the pencil was held by a strong but gentle hand. She looked up.

"Stop that." The African-American boy whispered.

"Sorry." The girl said with a guilty expression.

"It's cool. Are you okay?" The boy asked.

"I'm fine, just little tired I guess."

The teacher cleared his throat and glared at the duo to keep it quite before he back to the whiteboard and write some of the equation before explain it to the student whilst Tori's mind drifted back to a certain sky blue eyed beauty.

**\- - Sha - -**

Brown eyes darted from the cable she was holding to the pale beauty standing ten feet away from her, holding papers in hand and a pen in the other. She's wearing these big black framed glasses and chewing on the pan adorably looking down at the list of things on the paper. They're at the theatre right now, with people running around to set props and light for the stage. Jade was checking all the list that was done and double check it if she's missing something while sometimes she yelled at Sinjin to fix something.

The singer swallow a thick lump in her throat at the sight, she has yet talk to the girl. All she did all day was stealing glances or giving her a small awkward smile when all the raven haired girl did was looked at her with a straight face. They haven't had the chance to talk about Tori's 'accidentally hearing' the conversation between the raven haired girl and the Canadian boy two days ago, Jade acting like there's nothing happen and that made Tori oddly felt relief and conflicted at the same time.

She still has no idea if the girl was okay that she was listening on a private conversation and knowing Jade, she hates it when people prying into her business.

But alas, the sky blue eyed girl said nothing about it and come to think of it. Tori couldn't recall the last time they have a civil conversation just the two of them. It was always between the girl shouting an order for her to do something in front of Robbie or ask something about technical when she was talking to Cat, it's like the girl was avoiding her.

She shouldn't have concern about it right, if Jade don't confront you about something it's a good sign. But still, she can't help but think about it.

"You know, you could just go and talk to her." Cat said out of nowhere and startled the tan skinned girl.

"Jeez, Cat you're scaring me." She said and the red headed girl just smiled at her. "I-I don't know what you're talking about."

"Please, you've been staring at Jade all day. Why don't you just walk up there and talk to her."

"I can't, I think she's mad at me."

"Jade always angry at something, you just need to confront her and talk. You'll be surprise at the outcome."

Before she could say anything the red velvet haired girl was gone leaving Tori with her thought, _should she go there and talk to the girl or not._ She chose not and continues with what she's doing.

The singer finishing up with her part and just as she get all the tools back into the box Andre come up to her. "Hey… Can we talk?"

"Hey Andre, what's up?"

"Nothing…" The boy was playing with her hands, clapping it into one another. Something Tori notice when the boy was nervous about something. "It's uh… I don't know how to say this …"

"Just spit it out." The girl said, nudging the boy on his arm.

"Jorge said you've been pulling extra shift lately."

"Yeah, I take extra shift now and then, I need the money, remember? That's way I took the job in the first place." Tori said slightly whispering as she looked at the boy before she's resuming to put the tools into the box.

"I know that, but I thought you covering most of the cost, and also, you've been more tired than usual; you fell asleep on Sikowitzs's class. You never fell asleep in his class."

The singer stopped what she was doing and looked at the boy. "Andre, what is this about?"

"You tell me."

"What?" She asked confused by his words.

"Tori … Look, I'm saying this because you're my best friend and I need to tell you in hoping that you will open your eyes." The boy move closer and hold the girl by her shoulders as he looked into the girl's eyes and said. "You've been exhaust yourself and it's not good for your health."

The half-Latina girl smiled and gently put the boy's hands down from her shoulders. "Andre, I'm fine. I guess I just need some extra money, that's why I've been taking extra shift."

"I just worried about you … you know."

"I know, but you don't have to be."

"I can't help it, you're my best friend. I'll always worry."

"Thank you Andre." They hugged for a moment before pulled apart. "How about we go out later, it's been a while since we do that."

"Yea, that's sound good. I can hang."

"Andre people don't say hang anymore."

"Says you, I still say hang." He shrugged his shoulder before they broke into laughed. "You can't pull a papa Vega on me Tor. You can't."

Tori miss this, laughing with Andre, she missed her best friend. He was right though, they haven't been hanging out lately and that was her fault. She was so caught up with work and helping Jade. But she was going to chance that, she will make time to _hanging out_ with her best friend.

**\- - Sha - -**

Morning air is good to clear one's mind and that's why Tori likes to go running in the morning before she goes to school. Every day she ran through the wood to the park closes to her house, sometimes she watched the sun rise from up the hill. She wanted to stay fit, as a future racer she needs to prepare her body to be able to ride 22 laps in a row without having a backache, she also keep up with her fitness routine as well as her self-defense class. Usually she does sparring with Trina, since the older half-Latina was a pretty decent opponent to sparring with.

Though, since her work at Jorge's garage is pretty packed up these past week since racing season was almost in, every rookie racer lined up to get their bike fixed up before the race begin. They usually compete at small races and the like since they haven't get notice by a sponsor yet. The singer wanted to participate to this year's competition, it would be her first ever motor race and her bike was nearly done. She's so excited about it, but she needed her dad's permission first to be able to compete, and she knew she has some groveling to do for papa Vega to say yes.

She run passed through the wood track and planning on taking short break at the park when she saw a figure by the water fountain and decided to approach them since she kinda needed some water to keep hydrated too.

"I never pegged you for a jogging type a girl, more like a … gym kinda girl." The brunette said as the girl in question just finished drinking from the said water fountain.

"Well, I never pegged you for … anything too actually, but yet. Here you are, staining a perfect beautiful morning." The girl smiled smartly.

"Ouch Jade. I thought we're friends since I'm helping you with the play and all."

"We're not friends. We have an agreement, you helped me and I'll help you with your nonexistent piano skill. Remember." The pale beauty said as she put her hands on her hips.

"Are you mad at me?" The brunette blurted it out; it was out before she even had the chance to process what she said.

"Excuse me?"

"Like two, three days ago. When you have the talk with back and I coincidentally heard you too?"

"Coincidentally?" The sky blue eyed girl raised her brow.

"Okay fine. Maybe not-so coincidentally heard you two talking. I'm sorry, are you mad?"

The singer looked at the actress with hopeful eyes that the girl wasn't mad at her. She has been putting of talking about the matter in fear of finding out if Jade was really mad at her. The pale beauty is silent for what it's like an eternity while in reality it was just barely twelve second. The way her face keep on straight emotion was not helping Tori's case until literally two second later the girl simply said. "No."

But the singer was already paranoid and quickly said. "I knew it, Jade it was an accident, you need to be… wait, you're not mad?"

"No Vega, what Beck and I talked about was nothing that everyone don't already know. We're done and that's it." She said, there's a little hint of sadness that quickly disappeared.

"You're not mad…." That's was all what the soon to be racer manage to catch.

"Wipe that grin please, you make me sick." The pale beauty then proceeds to walk away and leaving the still grinning teenager. Though unknowing from the singer, there's a little tug on the play-wright's lips forming a tiny, little smile as she walked away.

_Maybe this year is going to be different after all._

**\- - Sha - -**

The sound of metal clank together can be heard through the busy garage but Tori seemed to drawn in her own world, doesn't minding what's going on outside of her own space. She was so focus on getting some knots free and tightens the other. It was a busy day in Jorge's garage and it's just mid-day and Tori has been worked on three different motors and right now she was laying down under the hood of a car, trying to look at what's the problem with the car. The garage was packed and all hands are full and the singer kind of forgot about what today was. That is until she heard Antonio called her

"Tori. Yo." The boy said kicking the singer's sin gently.

"Yeah?" The girl answered but didn't move from under the hood.

"Your phone has been ringing."

"My phone?" The half-Latina finally slid over from under the car and looked up to Antonio who's holding her phone, that in fact ringing. "Thanks Antonio." The half-Latina said to the Latina boy when he handed her the phone. "Hello." The singer said into the phone once she hit the accept button.

"_Where the hell are you?!"_

The girl quickly pulled the phone away from her ear once she heard the screaming voice she knows too well and also to see the caller ID. "Jade? Why are your phone numbers' blocked?"

"_The curtain was about to be up but in six hours and you're not yet here. Where. Are. You?!"_ The girl ignoring Tori's question, she sounded little anxious though.

_Right. The play._ Tori mentally punched herself on the face for forgetting that.

Through the week Jade has been little anxious than usual, this wasn't her first play she directed but surely it felt like it. She's been turned even more perfectionist –if that even the word for it- every little things was wrong in her eyes, she made Sinjin redo all the decoration of the stage just because she was feeling little off about the setting. Robbie got yelled at –and possibly pissed himself- when he set the light in the wrong angle, and Tori was –oddly enough- the only one that hasn't been yelled at, until now.

The brunette looked at the clock hanging on the wall. "Its 1 P.M, Jade. I'll be there two hours before the play start okay." She said not really said where she was; only Andre, her parents and Trina know she worked at Jorge's garage.

"_Where are you?"_ She asked again.

"I-I uh… At my cousin's birthday party with Trina and my parents." She quickly lied, she felt bad about it though. _Sorry Jade._

"_Well, just bail and come to the theatre now."_ She demanded.

"I can't, my dad's drive us."

"_What's the address, I'll pick you up."_

Damn. The girl was not going to give up. "Jade, take a deep breath okay. Everything will be okay, your play going to be great and I'll be there way before the curtain is up."

"_Don't tell me what to do." The girl warned. "I need you here now, Vega."_

She was beginning to think if this behavior of Jade might have anything to do with the local newspaper guy that was going to attend the play to watch and write review about it after.

"Jade-"

_"If you're not here in ten minute, I'm going to find you and use my scissors at you and …"_

"I'll be right there." The half-Latina said quickly before Jade could make any future attempt to finish her threat.

_Lord helps me._ The singer prayed.

**\- - Sha - -**

**I move things little quickly so later I can focus on the race and the case thingy. And also, some fluff between the duo. = )**

**Until next time.**


	6. Chapter 6 : Curtains up!

**_Hi, I'm back. I wrote this chapter whenever I got time and when idea struck and wrote in on any paper I could find. Getting to type it down was the tricky part. lol. But alas, I got this down and everything. Hope you enjoy it. I'm planning on writing more longer chapter if I can. Because I really like longer chapter myself when I read fanfiction. lol._**

**_(I'm planning to update Two Pieces soon, but since I don't have beta and I need to write a certain scene, it might not be done for a while, I'm struggling on that part. Anyone wants to help me write the uhm .. *Cough*sexyscene*cough* ?)_**

**_Anyway. _****_Forgive me if there are any grammar mistakes and typos. Though you can pointed out where I did wrong, to help me learn more grammar...? hehe._**

**_Enjoy. _**

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_Lord help me ..._

Tori sighed as she hang up the phone. Jade and her demand will be the death of her. It all started one day when they have dress rehearsal one of Robbie's nerd friend's father -Ronnie- was a journalist on one of the known newspaper in LA. Ronnie liked the play and showed part of the play he recorded to his dad, intrigue he asked to talk to the director and writer, which happen to be Jade. That he liked to write a review on her play. That's when Jade change into more perfectionist, everything seemed to be wrong when it is just as fine as before the dress rehearsal.

The actress become obsess with little detail and suddenly nothing is good anymore. Tori, who had to put up with Jade mood swing constantly before, has to deal with more of that. She was not complaining though, but it was nice if she could get little bit of a free time just to herself.

Like right now when she was really enjoying working on motors and fix stuff. But duty calls and she kind of can't say no to that. Fortunately she was about done with the car she was fixing. She turned to look at Antonio.

"Antonio ..." Tori said sweetly. "Would you mind ... covering for me? I just need to check couple more things with this car.. would you do it for me? This is emergency and I'll owe you one." She said hopefully.

The Latina boy chuckles. "Of course I'll help you." He said in thick Mexican accent. "And you don't even owe me anything."

"Thank you! you're the best Antonio."

"No worries Tor. Just go to your girl." The boy grin cheekily.

"Who?"

"The girl on the phone earlier, the one you always mention about."

Tori gaped at the boy's exclaim. _Did she really talked about Jade that much?_. It's no secret that Tori likes girls as much as the next boy did. She didn't want to say anything about her sexuality since her first day at work. But then boys asked her to dates and Tori being Tori, didn't know how to reject them without hurting their feeling so she just simply said. _"I like girls as much as you do."_ Or something along those line, she really doesn't remember. Back to the matter at hand, she doesn't really remember ever mention Jade during any conversation. If Antonio said something like that it must have because he likes to tease her. That's the one answer the soon-to-be-racer can come up with.

"She's not my girl." _Yet._ She couldn't help to add the last part on her mind, she really do hope the raven haired beauty to be her girl ... someday if not soon.

With one last gleeful smile to the Latina boy, she dashed out to the changing room to change into her clothes quickly. Just when she was about to leave the shop, Jorge yelled her name. "Where are you going so rushed?" He asked.

"Oh, uhm. I needed at the theater."

"Oh, is it the girl?"

The racer to be shot her eyebrow up. _Did she really talked about the Jade that much?!_

"Take the bike, it'll get you there faster." The boss said tossing the key to the brunette whom catching it with surprise expression.

"I ... uh ... I..."

"Go on, go. Don't make her wait too long."

Recovering from her surprise state she answered. "Right. Thank you Jorge." With that she quickly went for the bike. Grabbing her 'racer' gear along the way.

The half-Latina zipped up her leather biker's jacket, putting on some gloves before she mounted the bike and put on a helmet. _Always safety first._ When she put all the gear she put the key to the ignition and bring the engine to life. Hearing the engine roared is a music to her ear and it put a smile on her face. She could feel it. The adrenaline is starting to kicks in.

The bike was not hers but it was one of Jorge's costume bike that needed to be tested. She just finished it three days ago with Antonio and Jorge himself, it have yet to be tested. She guess now is the right time as any. Once she's done getting the engine to warm up, she then put it on gear and race out of the garage.

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Tori doesn't remember the last time she felt this free. Sure she do this test ride from time to time and every time would felt like just the first time for her. Usually though, she does test ride at the circuit. where people timing her and watch closely to the monitor to check on the graphic state of the machine while she circled around the track.

This time though, she felt freer, more high and just ... her and the wind. It's sounded cliche but everything just felt right and she could felt her heart soar at the feeling of the wind brush against her skin.

Some people would say that, only a true racer would ride carefully on the highway than in the circuit. Because they know how to move while racing and predict other's racer move but not when they're out in the open road. Well, for some of them might be true, but for Tori. It's just load of bullshit. You can't expect a ricer to tame their instinct and left it on the track and just be different people. A racer is a racer whenever and wherever they are, it's just a mater of self respect and restrain while you're on the road. A good rider is know when to pull on the gas and when to pull on the break. It's not just dodge and race.

Tori pried herself to be a decent rider and always consider the other fellow drivers and riders. She learn early to know the importance of knowing how the riders or drivers move. It's important to pay attention to the little detail like slight move to the side of the car in front of her. She will easily calculated which path to take and when's is the right time to ride passed a car or several car on the road. Yes. Other people learn how to read body language, Tori. She read people style's in driving. She enjoy the air for a little while before she race through sea of cars in LA road to the theater.

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She manage to arrive at the theater ten minutes later, not one second later. Parking the bike just behind a big pillar on the corner of the parking lot, she quickly toke off her gear. She doesn't want anybody to see her or her bike, she's still very much cautious about this side of her. She wanted to keep it a secret for a little bit longer, people might be okay with the fact that she race a motorbike but for the moment, she wanted to keep that little fact to herself and couple of trusted friends and family member only. The racer to be quickly went inside the building, brushing her disheveled hair as she go.

She was about to open the double doors to the theater when she heard Jade's voice. The brunette quietly open the door and close it as she walked inside. Everything is in place, the props and all. Tori could see that everybody was on the center of the stage, gathering. Jade with her back to the door didn't notice Tori's arrival, she was busy giving a speech to her crew and actors.

"You work hard for this play and I thank you for that." The sky blue eyed girl said. Jade, behind the hard personality always appreciate talents and hard work. Though it rarely showed, she will say it when it matters the most, like right now. "We only have one performance. But you all didn't used that as a reason for slacking off. You all focus and really dedicated all your energy to this play. For that, I thank you. This will be nothing without you helping me. There will be no play with just me. This play is as much your as it is mine. We work hard for it."

"Yeah!" One of the crew shouted in agreement.

Tori almost chuckles at the enthusiasm but remind silent. Not wanting to interrupt the moment. She take a sit at one of the seat and continue to watch them. She admire the pale beauty more and more every time, Jade always amused her. Right now, with the speech she's giving to her crew. The half-Latina know for sure that the actress was not just beauty on the outside, but also on the inside.

"I'm not gonna sugar coat this news. A review will be written for this play and it will be on LA news paper tomorrow, well, little section of it but still. Our name and school name will be out there, whether is it good or bad. It's up to us. So look a live people. If all of you doing a good job up until today. Now, now I need you to do a great job!" There's another cheer.

They gather into a circle and have their hands out on top of each other before they all break away and shouted. "Break a leg!"

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"Well, it seemed that you don't need me here." Tori said still sitting on one of the seat on the audience.

The actress turn to face the voice and found the brunette sitting on one of the seat then crossed her arms. "I just want to make sure that you're not going to mess something up so I need you here to keep an eye on you." The girl quickly said in a boring tone. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Ouch. You wound me." The girl smile playfully whilst the goth just rolled her eyes. "I was at my cousin's birthday party remember. Have to beg my dad to let me take the taxi here." The raider to be lied to her teeth.

The raven haired beauty making her way down from the stage and approach the half-Latina. "The tickets sold out. I can pay this, investor back with interest."

"No, no. Jade, they don't want any. Every profit you make is solemnly your's. They just wanted to help you, nothing business just purely out of generosity." She cringe at that, she's not generous. She just wanted to make the goth happy, it was selfish not generous.

The girl narrowed her eyes at the rider to be. "Fine. I guess I also need to start paying back to you with the piano lesson."

"The curtains won't be up in five hours. Just focus on that."

"You know I don't like to owe people."

"Sure." The half-Latina smile. "So, do you like me now?"

"I ... Tolerate you more now, I guess."

"What? Come on, I moved up from 'strongly dislike' to 'tolerable'?" The raven haired girl raised her eye brow and the brunette sighed. "I guess it better that nothing, and we're moving toward friendship now at least?"

Their bantering was always somehow tense and hurtful -At Jade's part - at the beginning of their acquaintanceship and bitter too -Also at Jade's part- but now it just become somewhat playful and doesn't have as much venom as it used to when the girls threw something snarky. They know they just being their stubborn self.

"Eager much. You need to work hard to earn the title of friendship from me." The Director smirk.

"Then that's just what I will do. Now, I better go back stage and check on things so you won't blame me latter if something goes wrong." The raider to be winked at her as she walk passed the sky blue eyed girl.

There's this feeling on Jade's stomach that stir deep into her lung and made her slightly breathless at the innocent comment that the half-Latina threw at her. It sounded more like a promise to her than anything else and it made her heart flutter, and she hate that feeling. Now ... now her hopes is up and she hates it, it meant that someone can easily hurt her.

The raven haired beauty looked at the retreating form of the brunette, she made a promise. Realizing it or not the singer had made her a promise to fight for their friendship, and she like to see how she would do that. Because surely she won't make it easy for the brunette.

_"Let's see if you're going stay this time."_

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**Congrats to Victoria Justice on her role as Janet on revival of The Rockie Horror Show. Can't wait to see the show!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey, back. It's been rough months for me. I lost my best friend of ten years last February, and too add it to that, My grandma passed away in may 1st, my heart aches everyday missing them. **

**Word's hard to come these days, but I don't like to be cooked up in sadness. So I think it was a good idea to start writing again. :)**

**all errors are mine.**

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It's been a month since the curtains up, the play was great and they got relatively good review on little section of LA newspaper. It's not on the front page, just little section all the way on the back but still it was the LA newspaper and it's still count as a success. There's been little smile up on Jade's face when she read it and that made Tori's little heart smile too. Tori may or may not saw the raven haired girl cut out the review and put it on one of her notebook but choose not to comment about it.

Truth to her word, Jade begun teaching Tori to play the piano as soon as the play ended. The raven haired beauty wanted to 'pay' her debt quickly, as she said to the raider to be. Tori was just too happy to complain, and surprisingly Jade is really good at teaching her. Granted the pale beauty keep on mocking her every mistake she made, but it's just Jade being Jade.

Tori finally have the money to pay Jorge back and she was so excited to work on her bike since the engine arrive couple weeks ago and have been busy perfecting her bike with the help from Jorge and Antonio since then.

Today after school she was supposed to get her piano lesson with Jade but the raven haired girl said that she can't today so they reschedule it to the weekend. The singer was about to head home with Trina when Jorge called her and asked her to come to the garage. Said it was important. So she asked Trina to drop her off there, surprisingly without any complain from the older Vega sister.

"Tori!" Jorge exclaimed when he saw her. "She's ready." Jorge said to her with big smile on his face and the rider to be quickly catches on what the Latina man was saying.

"She is?! I thought it wouldn't be done for another week!" The half-Latina practically bounce off her feet.

"Are you excited." The man said more as a statement not a question.

"I am!"

"Antonio." The boss shouted. "Bring her out will you?"

Tori's little heart was beating so hard. It was like she was going to meet someone special for the first time, well when she thinks about it, she sounded way cheesy and little bit overrated. But this was her dream bike she was talking about. She as allowed too act overacted as she pleased.

When Antonio brought the bike out her breath hitched, it turned out just as beautiful as she imagine it to be. Granted she was helping building it but Jorge still the main mechanic here, she was helping with the easier part. She knew what her bike would turned out to be, but she's still mesmerize by it when she saw it for the first time with everything intact.

The bike was jet black -well more like shiny doff black- on the colour, Tori wanted to be black for some reason with the frame coloured orange in the middle.

"Oh my god. She's beautiful." She said when the bike parked in front of her.

"Hop on." Antonio said and gave the key to the raider to be.

The girl take the key handed to her as she hope on the bike. She quickly bring the engine to life, hearing her roar was music to her ears and she have a big grin plastered on her face.

Jorge tossed her a helmet. "Give it a test run first." He said simply.

The girl nodded. Jorge's garage was close to a mini circuit, it was privately owned by the company Jorge do the test drive for. There's where Tori usually do the test drive for other bike. She put on her helmet and dashed out to the circuit to test her new costume motor bike.

**. . . S. h . a . . . .**

Tori wear the biggest smile to school the next day, so far no one knew about her new about her motor bike an she wanted to keep it that way for a little longer. Since her dad would give her that lecture about safety, Trina would careless, her mom, well, she would started to text her every hour to know if she's alright. The Vega woman is very worried since her youngest told her about her loved to racing -that is why the motor bike was safely tucked in Jorge's. Though, she wanted to tell Andre since the boy would know about it sooner or later when he visit the garage.

As she made up her mind about telling Andre, she quickly take some books out from her locker before closing it. Just as she closed her locker door, she was surprise by Jade's scowl face that turn into a smirk when the brunette jumped from surprise.

"Jade!" She cried out, hands on her chest. "You Scared me."

"That's the intention."

"You enjoyed my misery."

"Of course." The blue eyed girl said with a hint of smile on her face that quickly fade. "I just wanted to tell you that today I can't tutor you. I ... have a thing with my dad." She said in a bored tone.

"So you scared me half the chiz just to say that? Can't you text me or something." The racer to-be asked and get a quirk eyebrow in return. "You're one messed up girl." Tori said in light tone.

"Thank you." Was the respond she gets as the girl walked away from her.

The half Latina shakes her head it was typical Jade and part of why she likes the girl. She walked to her first class of the day which was her R&amp;B class with Andre, the boy was already seated on his usual chair when she walked up to him and take the sit beside him. Smiled on her face.

"What's up with you? All smiley and stuff."

Tori just smile wider at the boy. "It's really a good morning." She said vaguely, she can't wait to see how Andre react at the news.

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"Holly chiz!" Shouted the African-American boy as he saw Tori's bike. They're at Jorge's garage right now since Tori didn't have a 'piano lesson' with Jade and decided that it was good idea to show Andre her bike. So she brought the boy to Jorge's garage to show it to him. "This is one neat motor bike."

"I know right. It turned out better than I thought."

"Can I try it?" He asked while running his hand through the bike's body.

"No, I'm still testing it out. Make sure I don't miss anything." She said to the disappointing looking Andre. "And only I can ride it." Tori said in teasing manner.

"I am so jealous right now. But congratulation on your bike, you'll be racing with it in no time." He said hugging the brunette.

"Thanks Andre, I really appreciate your support, but it's gonna be awhile for me to race with her." The singer said pointing to the bike. "My dad."

"Ah, well, papa Vega will understand and support you too, just need some getting used to." The singer-song writer squeeze Tori's shoulder lightly. "Alright. I have to go now, my grandma need some more butter." He said before he gave the racer to be a hug goodbye.

"Tori, I need to talk to you for a second." Jorge called out just when she was about to head out to the locker room to change into her overall work gear.

"Okay." She said backtracking into the Latina man's office the one in the back.

Jorge have two offices one was by the main work area, the other one was for client and meeting in the back room little secluded from the main work area so he can have the privacy when he need to.

The duo Latina fall into step together heading toward the office while the man explain. "So remember when I was mentioning about the test riding job for one of my friends company back then?" The rider to be nodded. "Good, because he's here. He watched your record test riding here and he wanted to meet you."

Tori looked excited at this, she can feel her blood pumping about this meeting and Jorge chuckles at how obvious her excitement is. "I know you're pumped about this but ... tryin' and keep it cool?"

"Is it that obvious?"

Jorge nodded before he open the door, there's a man sitting on a sofa. Tall, white, dark hair, wearing very expensive suit. Typing away on his cellphone, he looked up at the sound of the door opening. "Sorry to keep you waiting Arthur." Jorge said as he take a sit across from the man with Tori in tow.

"Mr. West?" Tori exclaimed after looking at the man. Yup, it's defiantly Jade's dad. _I'm so screwed._

"You." The blue eyed man said surprised himself.

The Latina man looked at the two curiously. "You two know each other?"

"Kind of."

"She went to school with my daughter. So, you're best test rider Jorge was talking about?"

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She has been hiding in the girl's bathroom for the pas fifteen minutes after she explore the garage -kind of, she gave up after seeing the oil, cars, and the obvious and obnoxious noise and just opted to went into the bathroom which was slightly clean. Thank god for that- trying to pas the time, when she got the call from the redhead actress but soon she regretting it as soon as she heard the cheerful greeting of "Hi-hi" she was absolutely regret picking up.

"And then Robbie said that we're going to the baby golf when he actually brought me to her grandma's, she's so mean to me!"

"Cat...cat... CAT!"

"Whatty?"

"I've been trying to hide in the bathroom, BATHROOM, Cat to avoid a boring meeting my dad have with his potential new rider or whatever. So, I don't need to hear about your little sad story about not being on a baby golf game."

"That's mean Jade." The red head begun to sob but before the blue eyed girl had the chance to speak she hung up.

"Great." The raven haired girl said annoyed.

She was actually little bit happy when her dad decided to have more time to bond with her since he watched her play. Maybe there'e a chance in making it at the industry for Jade after all, and he willing to put aside all ego to get learn about what Jade's doing in return for her to learn about what he do. So they can reach the point of understanding one another. But damn, she went to all the meeting she can go to but it's just not her cup a tea. She knows that, her dad knows that but he just like to take her to his work and beside making Jade irritated was a bonus.

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There's a long silent at the office, the rider to be and the blue eyed man just looking at each other in silent. They wanted to know who would caved in first, they're not sure what they're trying to prove but surely Mr. West was having fun watching the girl squirm in her sit. They go on like that for couple more minutes before Jorge couldn't take it anymore and break the silent.

"So Arthur." He start, he and Mr. West was a close friend occasionally do business together so he was comfortable enough to call him by his first name. "Coffee?" He asked.

"Sure. Two sugar." He said shortly. Now Tori knows where Jade got her coffee habit from.

"Okay." The Latina man turned to the younger one. "Tori, could you ..."

"Water is fine thank you Jorge." Tori cut Jorge off before he can finish his sentence since the brunette still focus on the man in front if her.

"Be right back then."

After the door was click shut and Jorge was no longer in the room, Tori speak up. "Please don't tell Jade about this Mr. West, I didn't want anyone to know and especially Jade. Knowing her, she would use it against me." Tori rushed out.

Arthur West lean back to the sofa as he crossed his arms with training eyes on the girl. "That depends on how good you are, I need fast rider, smart and know what their doing." He leaned forward. "Are you?" He asked.

Honestly, Tori felt intimidated right now. But this is her chance to get to the next chapter of her dream, she swallow the lump on her throat before answering. "Yes." She said determinate.

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"I like that kid. But don't tell her that." Mr. West said to Jorge after he dismissed Tori with the promise of doing a test riding sometime next week. "She can be really pussy and determine."

"Yea, that's Tori for you." The Latina said.

Meanwhile, just as Tori was out from the office she went straight to the locker room to change into her work clothes, as she passed by the girls bathroom the door was open just as Tori pass by and a bored looking goth was out of there missing each other by a second as the said goth girl turn to the direction of the office.

"Are you done yet?" The blue eyed girl asked to her father as she burst into the office, she know Jorge well enough to come in to his office as she please. "Uncle J tell me you're done?"

"Jade." Her father said. Despite how they tried to mend their relationship, there's just some habits that can't be broke.

"Dad." She said simply.

Jorge smile. "We're done here Jade." The Latina said simply.

"I'll call you with the detail later, thank you Jorge."

"Sure, you're welcome. She's going to be a great addition for the team."

"I hope so."

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	8. Chapter 8 : They said

**Hi, another chapter update. I admit that the lack of desire to write what makes this story stranded for quite a while and I seem to lose my muse to write. But a friend of mine said that I need to write because and I quote "You can't do that to us! I need to know the rest." and she also helped me with this chapter, so thank you Sasha272.**

**She also writes some fanfictions on her page, go check her out, she's awesome!**

**Sorry for the grammar, typos and miss pronunciation. I tried using Grammarly for correction. :D**

**The song I used: Kodaline - The one, Nick ft Tove lo - Close**

**Victorious is not mine nor I make a profit out of this. Though the plot is mine.**

**Onto the story, enjoy. Feel free to leave your comments in the review box, so I know what you think of this chapter and story. Thank you.**

**enjoy.**

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**Sha**

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Tori takes a deep breath; she keeps on checking herself on the backstage mirror. Making sure that she looks okay, she wears a simple maroon dress that stops just below her knees, and Tori lets her hair down she want to make everyone focusing on her song, not looks. Tonight's is a full moon jam, and she's going to perform with her playing on the piano for the first time in front of everyone. Her performance tonight dedicated to someone in mind, a week ago, something happens that made the raven-haired beauty distant herself from Tori. But she's done playing it safe; she called Andre to help her write this song to convince the blue eyed girl how she makes Tori feel. Hopefully, it won't blow up on her face, and she's going and try to get the girl. That thought alone make her smile and yet nervous at the same time.

"You ready?" Asked the singer-songwriter.

Tori take a look at herself for one more time before she took a deep breath. "Let's go."

Applause erupted as they step onto the stage, Andre makes his move and saddle up his guitar while Tori sat down on the piano bench. "Tonight is my first time I'll be playing the piano in front of people, and it's just have been me and couple of friends." She started, and then she looked back at Andre who gives her a nod and mouthed 'you can do it,' she smiled at the encouragement before continuing. "Anyway, I'll be singing one song, the song that I wrote with the help from Andre." She smiled. "It's called THE ONE." She scanned the crowd and finding her sister new at her that gives her more courage as she keeps looking into the crowd until she finds 'the one' piercing blue eyes locked with her brown ones as she says. "This song is my way of convincing someone, what they mean to me, _why_ they mean to me." She holds her gaze little longer before she tore it away and focused on the keys of the piano.

Taking one more deep breath, straightening her pose as she begun to play the piano and the soft melody comes out.

_Tell me,_

Tori started as she looked into the phrase and finding that piercing blue eyes again as she continued singing.

_Tell me that you want me,_  
_And I'll be yours completely_  
_For better or for worse._

_I know,_

_We'll have our disagreements,_  
_Be fighting for no reason._  
_I wouldn't change it for the world._

The crowd is silent as the music flow beautifully, and it quickly caught everyone's attention as they listen to every word the brunette was singing. Half of the audience might not know who the mystery 'someone' is, but they surely moved by the lyrics.

_'Cause I knew_  
_The first day that I met you_  
_I was never gonna let you,_  
_Let you slip away._

_And I_

_Still remember feeling nervous_  
_Trying to find the words to_  
_Get you here today._

_You make my heart feel like it's summer_  
_When the rain is pouring down._  
_You make my whole world feel so right when it's wrong._  
_That's how I know you are the one._  
_That's why I know you are the one_

Her heart soared as she sings that part, now everyone knows the intimate part of her heart. What it feel at the moment, she doesn't mind being naked emotionally in front of everyone if it means that she gets her message to 'the one' person that mean the most.

Tori smiled at the crowd softly as she sings her heart out, every word has a deeper meaning for her and hopefully, the words would be enough for Jade. It would suffice to convince her, that she's not going anywhere.

_Life_  
_It's easy to be scared of._  
_With you, I am prepared for_  
_What is yet to come._

_'Cause our two_  
_Hearts will make it easy_  
_Joining up the pieces_  
_Together making one_

Every time she would look at Jade in the crowd she would see the piercing blue eyes look at her intently, Tori can't read what Jade thinks at the moment because the girl can hide her emotion very well, hence how good of an actress she is. She dares to keep looking into her eyes, though, never waver like it's a challenge, which she dare the girl to slip up and show her true emotion.

_When we are together you make me feel like my mind is free and my dreams are reachable, whoa_  
_You know I never ever believed in love, I believed one day that you would come along ... and free me_

_You make my heart feel like it's summer_  
_When the rain is pouring down_  
_You make my whole world feel so right when it's wrong_

_That's how I know you are the one_  
_That's why I know you are the one ..._

As the song comes to an end, the crowd roar to life as they applaud their performance, Tori smiled the biggest smile she ever gives, as her heart feel light after her performance. She gave it all out and now the ball is now on Jade's court, but before she left, she grabs the mic and stands in the center of the stage.

"Each night I ask the stars up above, why must I be a teenager in love?" She said and the crowd silent once again. "Why can't I be someone who already figures things out, but then again. I am a teenager that still figure things out as I go. All I know is that I have this feeling inside of me. My heart is always beating harder when you were close, and that's how I know that I like you ..." She takes a deep breath, her hands are shaking, and she tried to keep her voice steady because what she was about to say might blow up in her face and, it's now or never. No pain no gain, right? She exhaled and said bravely...

**-Sha-**

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A week ago ...

Two days after the meeting - and waiting anxiously on Tori's part - Mr. West called Jorge about the detail. He wants Tori to go to his company -the RTR corp -garage to test out one of the newest bikes on Saturday.

That was three days ago, now Tori standing in one of the larger company to sponsor any motorbike for famous racers. It's like a dream, and she can't stop grinning like a child high on sugar. She followed Jorge to meet with Mr. West, after waiting fifteen minutes Jorge and Tori were escorts into the track where they finally meet with Arthur West.

"Good to finally see you here." Mr. West said.

"This place is huge." Tori chimed in, and the men just laugh at her antics.

"Okay, let's get to business. Tori, Jorge said that you're good, but I need to know how good you are. So today, I want to see your skill." He said as the racer to be, looking at him with rapid attention. The blue-eyed man smirks at the brunette before he steps aside and points to his side. "I want you to ride that, and we'll be monitoring you through some monitors and also timing you." He said.

"Whoa." All the racer to be managed to say as she saw the bike.

Jorge chuckled at that. "Take a breather Tor." He said patting the girl's back.

After she composes herself, she manages to get in the overall suite plus the helmet and ready to ride around the circuit.

"How is it feeling Tori?" Jorge said through the intercom.

"It's great." Come to reply.

"Ok, I want you to take one slow lap then you can go faster."

"Okay." It takes a lot for Tori to hold her urges just to speed up at the first lap because she knows not to take the test bike on full capacity until someone says so, after all, it is still a test bike. She went on couple more slow laps until Jorge said it's okay to speed up.

The brunette takes off as she changes the accelerator and pulls on the gas, there's one particular turn that is little sharp that she forget to anticipate and she was a little too late to hit the brake. Luckily she was able to balance the bike and move on, though it brings to her attention that there's something with the brake.

"Tori, what was that?" Jorge asked from the monitor room.

"Sorry, too late to slowing down on the last turn. The brake was little too shallow to hit when I was preparing for the smooth break, though, it causes an unbalance break and almost got me dive for the dirt." The rider said.

"Okay noted. How's the acceleration?"

"It's easy and fast, balancing perfectly with everything."

"Okay, I need you to rounded up and finish it for the day,"

"Alright, I need to try one more just need to get the feeling on that last turn. See what happens when I hit the break when I know what to expect this time."

"I trust your opinion, Tori, everything is recorded, you can go back to the pit now," Jorge said through the intercom before he looked at Mr. West. He has his content look which either he was impressed or disappointed.

"She's alright." The blue eyed man said. Jorge smile at that, because, the Arthur likes Tori.

"Just one more turn Jorge." The rider said to the man through the intercom. She has this knack to make sure that everything is working and she still bothered by the fact that the break is too shallow, maybe she's the one that's hitting it too fast, and she just wants to make sure this time.

She was ready this time when she was at the last turn, slowing down and slowly hit on the break. But she makes mistakes when Tori was about to make a sharp turn, she still anticipating to that smooth break and lose her balance and dive down while she was on the ninety-degree turn. Her head bumped the asphalt pretty hard before she slides up across the road with the bike until she hit the sand and it stops both her and the bike from keep on sliding.

"Tori!" Jorge said through the intercom as he rushed toward the scene with Mr. West on his tail.

"Ugh." The rider grunt as she tried to get up but was held down by the paramedic on site.

"You need to lie down." They said as they open the helmet she was wearing.

The brunette is holding her head. "I'm fine, just a little fall."

"Miss, please hold still while we check you." One of the paramedics said as they check her over.

"Tori! Oh, my God. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine Jorge. It's not my first time falling from a bike." She said smiling at her boss.

"But that was pretty hard fall."

"I'm okay." The girl insisted while the paramedic was checking on her, running a light and instructs her to follow the lights.

"She's fine, little bang up but she's fine." One of the paramedics said.

"Are you sure?" Mr. West asked.

"She just needs to take it easy for a couple of days, and she might have a headache later." The paramedic said.

"See, I'm okay." She said and tried to stand up, and Jorge quickly helps her.

Mr. West watch her every move before saying. "Still, it'll make me feel better if the doctor tells me you're okay. I'm taking you to a hospital."

"Mr. West, that's not necessarily." The girl panic, hospital means that they need to call her parents and that means she could get into trouble. "I'm okay." But it was unheard as Mr. West asked the paramedic to bring the rider to the nearest hospital to get check ups, and they also call her parents.

Holly vega marched in first into the hospital with David and Trina in tow. Tori was still getting check up by the doctor and they have to wait in the waiting room. That's when David saw Mr. West, sitting on one of the chairs with a phone in hand. He approaches the businessman and stops in front of him.

"David!" Jorge whom sit beside Mr. West acknowledge the detective.

"Why are you here?" The detective said to Mr. West while giving a tight lip smile to Jorge.

"You two know each other?" Asked the mechanic.

"We have mutual knowledge on something." Said the detective while Arthur West barely looking up from his phone.

Blue eyes looked up when he finished up with his rapid typing on his phone. "I am here on behalf of the company. Tori fell during a test ride for one of our newest motorbike."

"Wait, your company? YOUR company? I never sign on any permission paper for Tori do a test ride on your company."

"David." Jorge quick to replied before Mr. West. "Technically Tori is still my employee, and you already sign the permission paper to me and the company Arthur is working at is one of our clients and she's still can do a test ride on my behalf. And also, if everything goes okay, Tori will officially hire by the RTR."

"Thank you for that Jorge. Mr. West can I talk to you? In private."

"Sure."

"I don't want Tori working for RTR." Said the Detective once they were alone.

"And I'm not planning to. This weekend just to show me how she does with handling the bike. I was doing it as a favor for Jorge. Vega, I know the risk, and I don't want my kid to get too close either." Said the businessman. "Though it's a shame to waste such a skill. She's good."

"Seriously?!" David stage whispered. "You should call me the moment you know about her," David argue.

"Sorry but it's true, she's talented and besides, I was as shock as you are when I know the rider Jorge has been talking about was your kid, Vega."

"I don't want her to get involve." The detective's face saddened at the possibility.

"And she won't, this is import to me as it is to you. Raising suspicion was not what I had in mind." The businessman said. "So, you better gather your bearing before you blew everything off."

"Please, I'm a decorative detective, I know how to cover up my track."

Blue eyes looked intensely at the detective, they have an odd relationship since Mr. West trust the detective to look into something on the company he's working at, they have been keeping it safe for them to communicate but they have that kind of familiarity too. "Sure you are." The businessman said as he walked away with a smirk.

The doctor clears Tori up after they do all the test from CT Scan, blood work and they came up good so they let Tori stay for couple more hours before she gets discharged with the promise to take it easy and take at least couple days off from school.

**-Sha-**

**.**

**.**

"Tori hurry up!"

"Trina, please do not shout, you sister have a headache." Holly scolded her oldest daughter as she put a sandwich and medicine on the tray.

"Jeez, this is why I don't like it when she works too hard to please everyone. Let me get that for her mom."

"Go easy on her." The woman said, and Trina just rolled her eyes. "And don't roll your eyes at your mother young lady."

"Yes mom, I will go easy on her." She said as she was walking up the stairs but still rolled her eyes on her way up.

The older sister slowly opens the door to her sister's room, and she sighed at the view. The drape is still, and the room is as dark as it can be when the light is already up. She set down the tray on the bedside table as she shook Tori up.

"Don't wanna ..." Tori said it weakly.

"Suck it up baby sis. You need to eat something before you take medicine to make you feel good." Trina said helping the reluctant teenager up and- fluff the pillow for her to lean on. "Eat." If her mother were the one up here, she would just get the tray and leave it there. That's why the older Vega sister always makes sure that her sister eats something before she takes medicine. "This is why I don't like it when you overwork yourself. You're the best at what you do, and I still have no clue why you could fall from a bike." She said sarcastically.

"Trina, if I want a lecture, I'll find mom," Tori said as she swallows the last bite of the sandwich. Trina didn't say anything. Instead, she gave Tori the medicine for her to take making sure her sister was comfy under the blanket before leaving for school.

**-Sha-**

**.**

**.**

Blue eyes stared at the inside of her locker before she glances across the hall, the occupant of particular locker has yet to come. The person was usually already standing there taking out the books and chatting up with the other dorks.

Not that she would notice, but they were often loud, and Jade couldn't help but look.

But this morning there's no one standing in front of said locker, she's not worried. No, she's just ... curious. Maybe the person running late because of a one particular older sibling being annoying.

"Jadey!" A cheerful voice pulled the blue eyed girl to snap out of her trance and looked at the source of the sound.

"Don't call me that." She said bitterly, but the red-haired girl just smiles at her.

"Tori is sick today."

The goth raised her eyebrow. "Must I care?" She said it with her annoyed tone.

"No..." The girl trailed off. "Just, you know ..." She poked the raven haired's tummy which the girl quickly swatted out. "Letting you know why Tori is not by her locker."

"Why?"

"Because you keep staring at it like Tori would show up or something."

"I did not!" She said Defensively.

The petite girl squeaks at Jade. "Okay, please don't yell." The raven haired girl sighed, she was going to apologize when the bell ring. "Oh yay, class." Cat happily run toward her class for the morning.

Jade gap at the girl's antics before she shrugged it off and headed to her class too, but not before she gave a quick glance at one 'Make it shine' locker. "Nope, I don't care." She said as she kept on walking.

**-Sha-**

**.**

**.**

The room is dark, with all the drapes still down, the light is only come from a couple of rays escape between the gap of the curtain. The slumbering figure was oblivious to the person entered the room. Carefully as to not awake the sleeping brunette the person sit on the edge of the bed. She watches the person on the bed as the slow, steady rhythm of her chest falling and rising.

It's sounded creepy and crazy also stalker-ish because she just sits there watching a person sleeping while the said figure is not aware of her present. But she couldn't help but come here to see it for herself if the dork was okay. After Cat had said that she was sick, she tried to ignore what the ditsy redhead said for the remaining day and just focus on her classes but she can't. So here she is, inside the youngest Vega's room, creeping like some pathetic stalker watching her sleep. She couldn't believe it herself either, something about the brunette made her do something that is so not her.

_Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn_  
_I'm so perplexed __With just one breath, I'm locked in_  
_Oh damn, oh damn, oh damn_

_I'm so perplexed __On that, it's almost shocking_

Jade sighed, _why is she here again?_ There's a soft whimper, and she remembers because she was just curious -not worried, just curious- about how sick the dorky Latina is. The actress put the back of her hand to the brunette's forehead, which was a bad move that turned out the half-Latina was a light sleeper.

"Mom, I already ate the soup, take the medicines. I just want to sleep." Tori whined.

"I'm not your mom, Vega." The raven haired girl deadpan.

"Wha-" The girl said as she pulls off her blindfold -yes Tori sleep with a blindfold ... sometimes- and saw the girl sitting on the edge of her bed. "Jade?"

The actress gave the brunette the 'duh' look. "What are you doing here, in my room?" Tori asked.

"To see how much pain you are in so I can watch." Jade manage to give a sweet, sarcastic smile which earns an amused look from Tori. "Cat told me you're sick." The girl said matter of fact. "But you look okay to me."

The Latina huffed and slumped back to her pillow. "I have headache Jade. I can barely lift my head let alone sit up. Heck, even talking to you is a task." She said as one arm covering her eyes, shielding it from little light that comes in the room. "Now, what you want? If you just wanted to watch how much pain I'm in, would you kindly leave now that you've seen my misery? Because I would like to go back to sleeping."

Jade looked at her with bored looked. "You hit your head somewhere, Vega?" The black haired girl asked the brunette.

Tori tried to sit up and lean against the headboard at the question. "How'd you know I hit my head?" The rider-to-be asked feeling anxious if Jade knew something.

"The medicine on your bedside is for a concussion." The girl said, crossing her legs. She looked at Tori with a sweet smile that said 'I knew what you're trying to hide.' And Tori swallowed the lump in her throat.

"I fell from- Trina and I were sparring. Our dad was making us take self-defense, so we were sparring, and I got distracted. Trina took that chance to attack and caught me off guard, I fell and hit my head. Hard." Tori tried to explain despite little slip she almost made, and she thought that she was making a pretty decent lie about her injury.

The blue eyes girl narrowed her eyes; she still manages to get a scowl on her face, which Tori thinks it cute. The brunette smiled at the thought but quickly shake it away when the girl chimed. "I'm bored; I guess you're not as in pain as I picture you to be."

"It's always a pleasure to entertain you, Jade."

The blue-eyed girl shot one brow up before putting on her usual scowl. "Sure Vega, I'm gonna go."

"Wait, Jade." The brunette said stopping the girl. "Thank you for visiting me. It means that you somehow, deep down, you care for me." The girl smiled softly.

The girl scoffed at that. "Yeah keep telling yourself that." The pale girl said as she left the half-Latina alone.

Tori sighed as her head hit the pillow again. "Why you have to make everything so hard, Jade?" She asked to no one.

_Cause space was just a word made up by someone who's afraid to get close, ooh_

_Oh, so close,_

**-Sha-**

**.**

**.**

Tuesday morning Tori decided to go to school said that she was feeling better, and her dad makes sure that she's telling the truth. "The minute you feel like it's too much, call Trina or me, and we'll come to get you."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "I'm fine papito, and I feel much better this morning."

"Come on Tor. We need to hurry up." Trina runs downstairs, with her bag on one hand and a bunch of books on the other.

"Do not run on the stairs, Trina." Her dad scolded.

"What those books are for?" The younger brunette asked.

"I'm not ten, dad." She huffed at her father and looked at Tori. "These are the books I need to take back to the library. Now come on!"

"Bye, dad," Tori said as she kisses her father's cheek.

"Bye girls." Said the detective before he went and continued with his morning.

-  
Morning at Hollywood Arts never quiet, always busy with students dancing, chatting or even sing before the class started. Some of them even glued their eyes on the book. Piercing blue eyes roam through her locker for books she would need for the day, while she focuses on that there's voices come from the side of the hallway where a certain brunette's locker is. She glances at it and saw a bunch of nerds surrounding the girl. Well, she considers Andre, Beck, Robbie and even Cat are nerds. Because they're friends with the half-Latina girl and everyone loves the goodie two shoes, Vega. That makes her stomach sick. Jade decide that she have everything she needs for the day before the girl slams her locker door shut with force before she marched in with purpose to Tori's locker. Half way to the half-Latina's locker she slowed down as she heard the said girl giggled at the lame joke Andre told her, Tori saw Jade walk in, and her smile brighten. "Hey, Jade."

The goth rose one eyebrow up with her bored face before she said with an equally bored tone. "Don't talk to me, Vega." Before she walked away without a second glance at the group. Though for a second there, Beck swears he saw something resemble a smile, just a tug on the corner of Jade's mouth.

"She's in the mood," Tori said.

"She's always in the mood," Beck said to the girl. "Don't worry about it." Said the Canadian boy as he ruffles Tori's hair.

"Jade's happy that you feel better, she was eyeing your locker the other day," Cat says innocently and gets a hopeful look from the brunette.

"Really?"

"But she doesn't want anybody to know, so don't tell." The red-headed girl smile as she batted her eyelashes while put her index finger in front of her lips in hush motion, her sweet dimple made an appearance. The bell rang and everybody leaves for class and the brunette went to hers with glee in her eyes knowing that somehow, deep down, that the raven haired beauty cared about her.

**-Sha-**

**.**

**.**


End file.
